Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. ~ Mother Teresa
This post is about words and how powerful or influential they can be. I had an incident this morning in which someone, unknown to me, said four words to me to remind me of a past failure. Those four words could have been anything -- You are a failure. You are absolutely nothing. You will never change. -- but I found that they took control of me for a moment. I felt snared in a trap. I felt my own happiness deflate and I let this guy take ownership of a portion of my mind. I pictured him standing on some of the most precious real estate ramming a flag into it to stake his claim. My mind is the most precious real estate in my world.
Why did I let him in? Why did I let him occupy that real estate? Perhaps when others choose words to cast upon us they touch on our own insecurities. Do I sometimes have thoughts that I am a failure? You bet. So, I felt exposed. I can't prevent the words that someone says to me, but I can use my own words to keep myself safe and positive. I can use positive self-talk as mortar to shore up any gaps in the foundation of positivity I'm building...or rather, re-building.
This causes me to try to comprehend the ultimate power of our words; Both the words we cast upon others as well as the words we cast upon ourselves. The process by which we put words together to express a thought or emotion is wrought with intent. We don't say something unless we intend to express something. So, under that premise, we need to go back and address our own intent. Is it rooted in positivity or negativity? Words are merely the vehicle we use to penetrate and infiltrate the mind. Good or bad.
A word is dead when it's been said, some say. I say it just begins to live that day. ~ Emily Dickinson
What can you control? It all starts with you. Begin by choosing and using words of empowerment to create the emotion and mindset you want. Success is dependent on a positive attitude. Once you paint your world in positivity you'll find that your intent brightens. Focus more on finding and promulgating the positive things you see. It is truly powerful to change your mindset. Cloudy winter days become great days to cuddle and read. Now, understand that our mindset creates our intent.
Once you fill your mind with positive and empowering words driven with positive intentions, the words we choose to combine and cast upon others become positive. You cannot sincerely compliment someone if you feel anger or negative. Conversely, you simply cannot condemn someone if your mind is full of love and happiness.
That man's four words held me captive for a moment. I know who I am and what I stand for. I know I have make mistakes in the past. I also know I have the ability to prevent anyone from staking claim to the precious real estate in my mind because I already own it and I'm creating a beautiful world of my own, filled with love and gratitude.
